Extension-sheet-delivery mechanism



' Apr l 1 1931- A. BROADMEYER EXTENSION SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM mlllll M Filed Aug. 3, 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet Jllbert Broaame 61;

A TTORNEY.

April 14, 193 A. BROADMEYER EXTENSION SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 3. 1927 INVENTOR. JZZerz Broadmeyer,

A TTORNE Y.

pr 1931- A. EROADMEYER EXTENSION SHEE'I DELIVERY MECHANISM INVENTOR.

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EXTENSION SHEET DELIVERY MECHANISM Filed Aug. 3. 1927 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVEN TOR.

ATTORNEY.

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Q. llllfl s E; 1 .7 v m i wm m \uh Q N z Patented Apr. 14, 1931 mnnr BROADMEYER, or HARRISBURG, HICKOK MANUFACTURING COMPANY,

roRA'rIoN orrnNnsYLvAmA NT ounce PENNSYLVANIA, ASSIGNOR TO THE W. O. 01 HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, A GOR- EXTEN'BION-SHEET-DELIVERY MECHANISM Application filed August 3', 1927. Serial No. 210,376.

hand wheel is turned in a direction to cause the teeth of said ratchet wheel to turn against the ipawl. J ournaled on the frame is a drive sha 23 having a suitable driving pulley 24 that is operated by a belt from any suitable source of power. This drive shaft has an eccentric 25 surrounded by a ring 26 that disclosed is shown in connection with a ruling is carried by an operating link 27. The link and interleaving apparatus of the type dishas a slotted rear end 28, in the slot of which closed in my application, Serial No. 198,548, is engaged a pin 29 carried by the lower end filed June 13, 1927. of the pawl carrier 18. It will be understood In the accompanying drawings that the shaft 23-is in constant operation, Figure 1 is a plan view of the delivery end thereby reciprocating the link 27 and if the of an interleaving machine, showing the repawl carrier 18 is free to move when the link ceiving mechanism, 27 moves rearwardly, the upper end of the Figure 2 is a side elevation of the same pawl carrier swings forwardly, causing the Figure 3 is a longitudinal sectional view pawl 19 to ride over one or more teeth of the taken on the line 33 of Figure 1, ratchet wheel 17. When the link 27 moves Figure 4 is a detail view in elevation of the forwardly, the pin 29 is engaged by the end operating means for the interleaving feeder wall of the slot 28, and consequentl the pawl and for the receiving mechanism, 19 is moved rearwardly, turning the ratchet Figure 5 is a plan view of the same. wheel 16. This through the shaft and worm In the embodiment disclosed, a frame 6 is gearing, rotates the cross shafts 8 and peremployed, forming the rear end of an appamits the table 11-to move downwardly. ratus for operatin on sheets. This frame In order to; control the downward move- The present invention relates to means for receiving sheets that have been operated upon, for example, ruled, and the object is to provide novel mechanism of a simple and 5 effective character, by which a large number of sheets may be received and piled.

The embodiment of the invention herein includes rearward y extending side bars 7 arranged in elevated positions and in parallel relation. J ournaled in the side bars 7 are cross shafts 8 having sprocket wheels 9. Ens

gaged with these sprocket wheels are hanger sprocket chains 10 that support a sheet-receiving table 11. The shafts carry at their rear ends worm gears'12 that are in mesh with worms 13 carried by a wormshaft 14 journaled on one of the side bars 7. The shaft 14: has a miter gear connection 15 with an operating shaft 16, extending across the frame, and having fixed to its front end a ratchet wheel 17.

Journaled on the front end of the shaft 16 is a swinging pawl carrier 18 having a pawl 19 that operates on. the ratchet wheel 17 to intermittently rotate the same. This rotation is in a direction to cause the shafts 8 to turn in a direction to lower the table 11. A hand wheel 20, fixed to a stub shaft 21, is geared as shown at 22 to the shaft 16, so that said shaft can be manually turned in either direction, the pawl 19 of course being disengaged from the ratchet wheel 17 when the ment of the table 11, the following mechanism is preferably, employed. The pawl carrier 18 has an outstanding stop finger 30, and a latch or detentfil-pivoted at 32 on the frame is adap1 ed to swingto and from a position beneat tthe-stopifinger 30. A weighted arm 33 of the latch 31 serves to normally swing said latch out ofthe path of the stop finger 30. The latch 31 has a link connection 34 with the vupper end ofa swinging arm 35 pivoted at its'lower end as shown at 36 on the frame 6, and fixed to said-arm so as to swing therewith is a detector arn 37having a head 38. This head is adapted-ta ride alo the front side of the pile of sheet's 39 that is built upon the table 11, and when the top of the pile falls below, the h8 d38,said,head

will move over the top margin of'the pile,

as shown particularly in Figure 4. When so positioned, thearm 35 and link34 will cause the latch 31 to tion beneath the stop finger 30, as illustrated in Figure 4.

' The arm 35 and detector 3738 are adapt ed to be moved by a link 40 having a lost mobe moved to a posi-- tion connection 41 in the form of a slot and pin, with the arm 35. The link 40 is pivotal-- 1y connected to'a swinging arm 42 drawn for- Wardly by a spring 43 against a cam 44 carried by the drive shaft 23. Preferably a roller 45 is journaled in the upper end of the arm 42 and rides the cam 44.

The sheets that have been ruled or other- I wise operated upon are delivered to the frame 6 by a conveyor 46 which directs said sheets through a guideway 47 and to a conveyor 48 mounted in the frame 6, said conveyor 48 delivering the sheets onto the table 1 1. The pile is formed by a rear wall 49 carried by a rod 50 that is adjustably mounted in a hanger 51 supported on a cross bar 52 that is mounted in the rear ends of the frame bars 7. Side jogger walls 53 are suspended from reciprocatory rods 54 slidably mounted in the frame bars 7 and operated by eccentrics 55 on a shaft 56.

It will be evident therefore that as the sheets are successively delivered onto the table 11 they will be formed into a pile by the rear wall 49 and between the side jogger walls 53. Whenever the pile of sheets rises to a position above the lower edge of the head 38 of the detector, said detector will be swung forwardly. This causes the arm 35 to move forwardly, releasing the latch 31 so that it will swing forwardly and out of the path of the stop finger 30. When such action occurs, the pawl carrier 18 can swing sufiiciently to allow the pawl 19 to ride over the teeth of the ratchet wheel until the link 27 moves forwardly, whereupon the pawl will be engaged with and rotate the ratchet wheel. This will cause a depression of the table 11 until the head 38 rides over the top of the pile. When this occurs, the latch 31 will move to a position beneath the stop finger 30, as shown in Figure 4 and the lowering of the table will cease. On each rotation of the drive shaft 23 the arm 42 will move forwardly, thus moving the link 40 and pulling forwardly the arm 35 and detectors 37 and 38, but the rear movement of said arm 35 and detector 37-38 is each time permitted so that it can move either to a position against the side of the pile of sheets or over the top of the same, depending on the number of sheets that have been added to the pile.

There is shown in connection with the apparatus, an interleaving feeder. This com prises a table 57 suspended by sprocket chains 58. The sprocket chains operate over sprocket wheels 59 carried by stub shafts which are also provided with worm gears 60. These Worm gears are operated by a cross shaft 61 on which is located a sprocket wheel 62. The sprocket wheel is operated on by a pawl 63 carried by a swinging pawl carrier 64 journaled on the cross shaft 61. The mechanism is substantially that disclosed in the aforesaid application, Serial No. 198,548. The

pawl carrier has at its lower end a pin 65 engaged in the slot 66 of a crank arm 67, having an eccentric mounting 68 on the shaft 23. This pawl carrier has a stop finger 69, and a detent latch 70 is adapted to swing into and out of the path of said finger 69. The detent latch has a link connection 71 with a crank arm 72 on a rock shaft 73. The rock shaft is provided with a forwardly extending arm 74 carrying a detector 75 that rests upon the pile of sheets 76 placed on the table 57. A suction feed roller 77 is preferably employed for delivering the sheets from the table 57 and the sheets so delivered are directed between feed rolls 78 and into a guideway 79 that directs said sheets to the conveyor 48.

The table 57 is of course automatically elevated as the sheets are fed therefrom, the elevation depending on the operation of the detector 75. That is to say as the level of the top of the pile decreases, due to the feeding of sheets therefrom, the detector 75 drops, thus carrying the detent latch 70 out of the path of the stop finger 69, allowing the pawl carrier 64 to have a full stroke movement, and thus causing the shaft 61 to operate, rotating the worm gear 60, and sprocketwheels 59 in a direction to cause the ends of the chains fixed to the table 57 to be raised, thus raising the table until the top of the pile elevates the detector 75 and causes the detent latch 70 to reassume its position beneath the stop finger 69.

With this mechanism therefore the sheets are delivered by the conveyor 46 from the table 47 to the table 11 and as the pile on the table 11 grows, said table will be automatically lowered.

From the foregoing, it is thought that the construction, operation and many advantages of the herein described invention will be apparent to those skilled in the art, without further description, and it will be understood that various changes in the size, shape. proportion and minor details of construction may be resorted to without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

What I claim, is:

1. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a pile supporting table, of means for delivering sheets thereto to cause them to pile thereon, means for supporting the table, a detector movably mounted below the predetermined top of the pile and having a portion operating against the side of the pile when the top thereof is above the desired level and over the top thereof when said desired level is obtained, and mechanism controlled by the movement allowed the detector for operating the supporting means to lower the table.

2: In apparatus of the character set forth, the combmation with a pile supporting table, of means for delivering sheets thereto to cause them to pile thereon, means for supporting the table, a pawl and ratchet for operating the supporting means to lower the table, and

mechanism for making said pawl and ratchet inactive, comprising a latch and latch operating means including amovable controlling detector that is pivoted below the predetermined level of the pile and having a head that operates against the side and over the top of a pile of sheets formed on the table accordingly as the level of the table top rises pbo'il e the desired level or falls below said eve 3. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a frame, of intergeared shafts j ournaled thereon and having sprocket wheels, sprocket chains engaged with the wheels, a pile supporting table suspended from the chains, means for delivering sheets on to the table, a ratchet wheel mounted on one of the shafts, a pawl carrier journaled on said shaft, a pawl on the carrier engaged with the ratchet wheel for rotating it in a direction to lower the table, means having a lost motion connection with the pawl carrier for operating it, a latch for holding the pawl carrier against operative movement, a swinging detector that operates against the side of the pile and over the top of the same and having a connection with the latch to move it, and means for periodically swinging the detector.

4. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a downwardly movable pile support, of mechanism for effecting its downward movement, an upstanding swinging detent for rendering the mechanism inactive, said detent being pivotally mounted at its lower end, a pivotally mounted detector located alongside the pile and having a head that strikes the side of t e pile, or moves over the top of the same according to the level of the pile, a link connection between the detent and detector, and means for swinging said detent and detector.

5. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a downwardly movable pile support, of ratchet mechanism for lowering the support, a pivotally mounted detent nism including an upstanding automatic feeler movably mounted at a oint below the top of the pile and located a ongside the upper portion of the pile and having a top portion that abuts against the edges of the sheets or moves over the uppermost when the top of the pile is below the predetermined level.

7. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a vertically movable support for a pile of sheets, of means for varying the height of the pile on the support, and mechanism for "automatically movin the support to maintain the top of the pi e-at substantially a predetermined level, said mechanism including an upstanding automatic feeler pivoted at its lower end and extending upwardly alongside the pile, said feeler having ahead on its upper end that abuts the edges of the uppermost sheet when the predetermined level is attained and moves over the top of the pile when the level is lowered below the same.

ature.

for rendering the ratchet mechanism inefi'ective, a pivotally mounted detector having a portion movable against the side of the pile when the top thereof is above a predetermined level and over the top when it is lowered to such level, a swinging arm fixed to the detector and having a 11111! connection with the detent, a link having a lost'motion connection with the'arm, and means for reciproeating the link.

6. In apparatus of the character set forth, the combination with a vertically .movable support for a pile of sheets, of means for varying the height of the pile on the support, and mechanism for automatically moving the support to maintain the top of the pile at substantially a predetermined level, said mecha- 

